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Former Alabama Baseball Coach Brad Bohannon punished for role in gambling scandal

By Nicholas Rome

Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon sits on the bench before the game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium Sunday,
Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon sits on the bench before the game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium Sunday, / Gary Cosby Jr. / Tuscaloosa News / USA
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The college baseball world was filled with shock when it was revealed the Alabama Baseball program was the center of a gambling scandal during the 2023 season. The scandal resulted in the suspension and firing of former head coach Brad Bohannon who was the focal point of the investigation.

According to the investigation Bohannon violated ethical conduct rules and wagering rules. Bohannon used information surrounding injuries to his team to place wagers against his Alabama Baseball team. Bohannon sent the following text to his partner in the scandal:

"(Redacted Student-athlete) is out for sure.... Lemme know when I can tell the opposing team hurry."

- Brad Bohannon

This resulted in the bettor attempting to place a $100,000 bet on the game before casino employees limited the bet to $15,000 and declined to allow any further bets due to suspicious activity. For his role in the gambling scheme Bohannon has been given a 15-year show cause. If Bohannon is hired during the fifteen-year show cause he'll be suspended for five regular seasons.

This punishment effectively ends any possibility of Bohannon returning to be the head coach of any college baseball team. The Alabama Baseball team will be on a three-year probation and must pay a $5,000 fine. The probation is the worse of the punishments meaning any future slip ups in the baseball program will lead to harsh punishments. The Alabama Athletic program will also retain EPIC Global Solutions to provide student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators with comprehensive gambling education programs.

Alabama Baseball: Some good will come from this

While the scandal put a black eye on the University and on the Alabama Baseball program there will be some positives that come from this. Providing students with the resources and education regarding NCAA Gambling policies will be important as we've seen several college athletes get themselves in trouble over these rules. Teaching the students about the dangers and legality of betting on games specifically their own will prevent any future incidents and hopefully eliminate any future issues in the athletic program.

Note: Suspension information via NCAA

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